Melissa Magnuson is from Oregon. She a law clerk at Heartland Law Office. She clerked for Trafficking Law Center which helps survivors of human trafficking access free legal services. She went on to clerk for Lafky & Lafky, a civil litigation firm, and Pawlick Law, LLC, where she drafted wills, trusts, and estates.

As a law student, she competed in Moot Court competitions and was runner-up in the First Year Appellate Competition. She was also inducted into the Order of the Barristers, a national honor society for law students and lawyers who demonstrate exceptional skill in oral advocacy and brief writing, in May of 2023.